the secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one has to do

Monday, May 16, 2011

I'm confused and a glory hunter as well

I seriously do not know how to make of our last home game. It's bitter lost indeed. It's so complicated, I fear I may not be able to put it in a structured paragraphs. Had it been a win, fans would have stayed on to do lap of honor or appreciation or whatever you want to name it. We had such disappointments in the last few months, we barely even know what to expect from the team anymore. At home against manutd, we were ruthless and decisive. We took every chances came upon us, though we were not able to convert them to goals; we had our moments nonetheless.

The following week, it happened again. Inconsistency and defence scramble put us solidly on the wall of shame. It seems to me, we are unable to find a way to get back up again and win the match once we're behind. Last season, our defence took a tumble in dying minutes in which turned our promising season into a puddle of mud. This season however, we changed a bit in terms of nature of the conceded goals. We press and dominate as though we are about to win the game thoroughly, only later on we are defeated by our own selves. Who are we?.

Yesterday, my father teased me and even dared to bet Arsenal would not win this match. I ignored him and look at me now. I simply do not understand this team anymore. And I am dead serious. It seems our mentality evaporates as soon as opponents score against us. There's no sense of urgency or the willingness to fight until the final whistle. We only see them to care when the clock hits 70 minutes. And what does that bring us? Nothing, sadly.

Szczesny promised better results next season. I say "don't give your words if you can't keep them". Did other players promised the same thing after such horrendous results?. And why are we here again?. Do I sound bitter to you?. Do I moan about the season we're having?. Am I being too harsh?. Well, ask around the stadium. If you can't, go ahead and check twitter if you must. Read and listen to fans' pleading. How many of them do not wish to renew their membership?. How many of them travel from such distances, only to be let down with such disgrace attitude. Times are hard and Arsenal make everything even more difficult for them. The last home game should have been a reward, or token for loyal fans, not this kind of humble, or should I say embarrassing match. We need to keep in mind, manc are trailing by only 2 points behind and regardless our last result, they will definitely snatch 3rd place if they won both of their last matches. How come are we here?. I have no idea. Was it our rigid and easy to predict system? Or players to blame?. A bit of this and that will sum up our season just beautifully.

Villa were everything we were not yesterday. They worked hard, marking every man diligently, and even sent lone ranger, Darren Bent, a decisive pass which doomed Arsenal to their fate. I said earlier before the game about the 4-3-3 system and how Wenger seems to adore it regardless teams we are up against. We have become too well predicted. The system also seems fail to create space and become too narrow at times. I also said, Wenger would have made last minute changes by adopting 4-4-2 if things had not gone the way it supposed to. The strange thing was, Bendtner played as a winger. My mood was in such a mess, I had no longer paid attention to any of it anymore.

Enough about the game. I want to share a bit more about ticket price. As you all know, starting from next season, season-ticket holders will be paying more if they want to attend matches. Anyone else in other part of the world will probably do not care about such hike and choose to play who's in who's out game. But it can only start something that Arsenal may have yet seen before. @worldofarsenal have asked few ticket holders and most of them confirmed, they would not renew. Fan chants on "6% you're having a laugh" rang on the stadium after seeing Arsenal 'humbled' yet again. A round of boos from the fans marked the lap of appreciation soon after the game had ended. Fans are not happy. And with the recent released ticket prices, a lot of them would think twice before going to the stadium. I feel sorry for them, to be honest. And if I, who live a few thousand miles away from the stadium, can hardly contain my desire to be in the Emirates, what about those who are not far from it. Standing in the stadium is magical moment for each and every one of us.

I can sense changes are about to land upon the soil of North London. And I'm not talking about the other North London club. It is known to many that boardroom members have failed to bring what had been promised 6 years ago. What could have been the most successful season, had once again flushed down to the drain. There will be no limit in the revolution Arsenal should make this summer. Players who do not intend to stay or commit to Arsenal, should make themselves known and be sold upon confession. It is time to get tough. We are way too lenient and it has got to change. I'm not asking for a change in management, but for the manager to change. Underperformed players must be let loose.

One thing before I end this post. I want to say to those people who think I'm a glory hunter and only care for the club to win trophies. I am an Arsenal fan through and through. I don't need to prove myself to the world I am one, by wearing Arsenal shirt or put the crest as my avatar. I am what I am. If I were one of those glory hunters, I would have gone to the other side of town and cheer them with all my heart. Sadly for you, I'm not that cheap. I fight for this club to any given level, whether it's up or at the bottom. Do you seriously think, no one including a fan, should not be allowed to criticize this shrunken team?. How deluded you are. If I can remember correctly, a lot of fans have been asking for Wenger's head and be replaced by some well-known manager, whereas I was, and still is, firmly behind Wenger. There were also requests for the club to buy mega star players and buy them in bulk. Do these symptoms sound familiar to you?. Or has anyone forgotten our rants the other day about how weak our players are and wouldn't mind to see them off this summer?. If you are counter attacking me by saying, you are pleased with our performances for the sake of fear being called glory hunter, then you are lying to yourself. I may not have been an Arsenal fan as long as some of you have. But I have the same passion and love for the club. And I seriously think, fans deserve more than what you have seen this season. And I'm sure you can't lie on that one.

Why do you think Arsenal are going far east and play some nutter football with Asian teams?. It's because of the amount of the deal. Football is not just about some sports game we enjoy at the back of our yard. It's now a business. Whether you like it or not, we can't no longer resist the lure of winning trophies. Ask those who in the know about this, then you will understand my point. From monetary point of view, winning champions league will give you extra revenue and it's benefiting to both club and fans. For a club that uses its own resources as payments for purchasing players, Arsenal must be able to self-generate its own revenues and turn them into profit, which in turn will help the growth of the club itself. In my opinion, the best is yet to come. And like some others, I am required to be patient. I will but not until I see changes which are overly due.

a facefilled with lovea bodyfilled with fencesa heartfilled with kindnessa brainfilled with thoughtsa pair of you and mefilled with bubbleso, ow

Burn In Me.

i gave away easilyfor youfrom mefor usfrom bothnever stoppedchasing mefrom behindthe shadowswill you be there?i'm still dealing with negativitiesevery part of methat's less need to be addedpositivitiespatienceego-maniacselfish partsneed to be erasedgrowwith mebear with me